Above Photograph © Donald Pettit, NASA
At its best, photography draws from both science and art, to give resulting images a dual purpose—aesthetic innovation and scientific merit. And when that photography happens from the windows of the International Space Station, capturing star trails, city lights, and our blue planet against the void of space, it becomes something truly transcendent.
In today's show, we're privileged to chat with NASA Astronaut Donald Pettit, a scientist, inventor, and photographer who has spent nearly two years living, working, and making pictures in orbit.
Some fun take aways from our chat include:
How photographing in a microgravity environment can turn a traditional group portrait into bodies scattering like bowling pins when the photographer tries to join the shot.
The vast perspective when viewing out a window of the ISS—on the order of half a continent—rather than a 50-to-100-kilometer horizon on earth.
The stratospheric volume of imagery captured during a mission, and the discerning Lightroom workflow Don uses to retrieve individual photos from his archive at home.
The importance of a humble synch cord to connect two cameras and render the "many decades of brightness" on an EV scale as a single HDR image to illustrate the rapid transition from day to night that occurs in orbit.
And, finally, how Don has taken the concept of synchronized imagery to a cosmic level by pairing the same phenomena he captures from orbit with a complementary view recorded from earth, in collaboration with astrophotographer Babak Tafreshi.
As Don explains towards the end of our chat, "I'm a big proponent of the concept of a frontier. My frontier happens to be space, but there are frontiers all around us."
He then shares this parting advice: "So just explore the frontiers that present themselves to you, the frontiers that you're motivated to go to. And just open your eyes and collect data, and then record or write about it, because you could make an observation and if you don't somehow share that with others through publications or imagery, it's almost as if it's never been done."
Guest: NASA Astronaut Donald Pettit
Episode Timeline:
2:06: Donald Pettit's introduction to photography, plus connections between his love of science and his creative vision.
5:51: Don's first space flight in 2002 - 2003, using both film and digital cameras, plus the learning curve on the ground to prepare for photographing in space.
10:36: The success rate when shooting with film and challenges to photographing in orbit.
13:42: From photographing with a barn-door tracker to Don's recent use of an orbital sidereal tracker.
19:07: Advances in digital camera technology, Don's relationship with NASA photo trainers, and challenges to capturing group shots in microgravity.
23:43: Don's most memorable photos from space, the advantages of pro-level camera technology, plus his personal everyday camera—the Nikon Z9.
29:38: Episode Break
30:33: The benefits to fast glass for nighttime images, plus Don's reluctant transition to mirrorless technology.
33:57: Capturing the colors of city lights, plus the spread of cosmic fireflies—commonly known as Starlink satellites
37:54: Changes on Earth that affect a view from space, plus the extra gear list for Don's next flight.
42:10: The volume of images captured during a mission, Don's Lightroom workflow at home, plus taking notes on the ISS for future reference on Earth.
49:32: Don's Antarctic expedition to hunt for meteorites, and the creative potential of a frontier environment.
53:17: Don's project From Above and Below with astrophotographer Babak Tafreshi, plus the unicorns in space he hopes to capture on future missions.
57:52: Parting advice about chasing your dreams—Explore the frontiers that present themselves, open your eyes, record your observations, and share them with others.
Guest Bio:
Donald Pettit is NASA astronaut and a veteran of four spaceflights, logging more than 590 days in space, primarily on the International Space Station. Currently NASA's oldest active astronaut, Don's missions have focused on scientific research into topics that include microgravity, 3D printing, water purification, and plant growth. He's also known for his remarkable in-space inventions, stunning astrophotography, and engaging educational content that makes space science engaging and fun.
A native of Silverton, Oregon, Pettit was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University and a doctorate in the same field from the University of Arizona. Prior to joining NASA, Pettit worked as a staff scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
Stay Connected:
Donald Pettit on the NASA Website: https://www.nasa.gov/people/donald-r-pettit/
Donald Pettit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astro_pettit/
Donald Pettit on X: https://x.com/astro_Pettit
Donald Pettit's Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Pettit#
Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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